Re: on the topic of vouchers and TEA laughing

December 31, 2006

This is great information, Nagla. Thank you. Do you know if there is a website

or list serv that is organizing all of this? I would like to be involved in

this.

Re: on the topic of vouchers and TEA laughing

Yes, people need to write letters supporting at least the educational

recommendations of the state plan 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5. Letters

reiterating these 5 recommendations to all their legislators, and to

the governor.

That would be a great start, next we can make appointments with the

legislators when they are in their home office, try and get to speak

with them about supporting these 5 recommendations, posibly drafting

legislation that puts the recommendations into law.

Nagla

> > >

> > > Nagla all of what you said about the state plan is wonderful.

> >

> > > children for a long time, why is it all of the sudden time to

> > > advocate for the Autism state plan? Did the thought of a

> > scholarship

> > > program bring on a sense of urgency? Hmmm, wonder if the same

> > sense

> > > of urgency would hold true across systems?

> >

> > I have been asking people to support this plan all along, it

seems I

> > have their ears now that we are discussing vouchers.

> >

> > >

> > > I am all for change, moving forward, solving problems and

chipping

> > > away at the state plan but I am not waiting anymore nor am I

> > sitting

> > > around and waiting for whoever it is that is going to get the

job

> > > done. Mason was diagnosed at 2 and he is now 8. In that 6 six

> > years

> >

> > You have not waited, you are doing great things for your son in

your

> > chosen method of educating him. Mason is getting exactly what

you

> > want him to get, lots of one on one therapy which is great.

> >

> > > what has been done on all the previous state plans?

> >

> > We got the autism supplement out of them (teacher to student

ratio,

> > EYS,structured daily schedule,parent training, in home

> > training,transition services) which now have to be discussed in

every

> > ARD at every school for every child diagnosed with autism.

> >

> > Again, I would

> > > support the person, persons or groups who are going to go in

like

> > a

> > > bulldozer to accomplish all of those wonderful ideas. But, who

> > and

> > > how are they going to get the job done? Show me an actual

time

> > > frame and a drawn out plan of action so I can be assured that

we

> > are

> > > just not talking but rather we are actually acting. My child

is

> > > growing up quickly! I can't just throw out an real plan of

action

> > > like a scholarship program that will actually accomplish

something

> > > immediate for our families on the hopes that we will all get

> > together

> > > and work on the state plan.

> >

> > I can't answer this, but you have set a great example in how to

get

> > things done, and I am following that example by asking people to

> > write letters, form voting blocks, innundate their legislators

with

> > these letters, show up in Austin etc...We can really use your

> > expertise Liz, you seem to be a great organizer, lots better than

me.

> >

> > >>

> > >

December 31, 2006

,

It would be great if all the wonderful organizers start working on a

website for this and posting it on all autism lists. I am not a

computer literate person, so I don't know how to do this, do you know

anyone that can?

Nagla

> > > >

> > > > Nagla all of what you said about the state plan is

wonderful.

> > >

> > > > children for a long time, why is it all of the sudden time

to

> > > > advocate for the Autism state plan? Did the thought of a

> > > scholarship

> > > > program bring on a sense of urgency? Hmmm, wonder if the

same

> > > sense

> > > > of urgency would hold true across systems?

> > >

> > > I have been asking people to support this plan all along, it

> seems I

> > > have their ears now that we are discussing vouchers.

> > >

> > > >

> > > > I am all for change, moving forward, solving problems and

> chipping

> > > > away at the state plan but I am not waiting anymore nor am I

> > > sitting

> > > > around and waiting for whoever it is that is going to get

the

> job

> > > > done. Mason was diagnosed at 2 and he is now 8. In that 6

six

> > > years

> > >

> > > You have not waited, you are doing great things for your son

in

> your

> > > chosen method of educating him. Mason is getting exactly what

> you

> > > want him to get, lots of one on one therapy which is great.

> > >

> > > > what has been done on all the previous state plans?

> > >

> > > We got the autism supplement out of them (teacher to student

> ratio,

> > > EYS,structured daily schedule,parent training, in home

> > > training,transition services) which now have to be discussed

in

> every

> > > ARD at every school for every child diagnosed with autism.

> > >

> > > Again, I would

> > > > support the person, persons or groups who are going to go in

> like

> > > a

> > > > bulldozer to accomplish all of those wonderful ideas. But,

who

> > > and

> > > > how are they going to get the job done? Show me an actual

> time

> > > > frame and a drawn out plan of action so I can be assured

that

> we

> > > are

> > > > just not talking but rather we are actually acting. My child

> is

> > > > growing up quickly! I can't just throw out an real plan of

> action

> > > > like a scholarship program that will actually accomplish

> something

> > > > immediate for our families on the hopes that we will all get

> > > together

> > > > and work on the state plan.

> > >

> > > I can't answer this, but you have set a great example in how

to

> get

> > > things done, and I am following that example by asking people

to

> > > write letters, form voting blocks, innundate their legislators

> with

> > > these letters, show up in Austin etc...We can really use your

> > > expertise Liz, you seem to be a great organizer, lots better

than

> me.

> > >

> > > >>

> > > >

December 31, 2006

Bottom line is some parents want vouchers, other parents feel that it

will hurt their children and their schools to have money that is used

collectively to hire therapists, teachers, aides taken away and given

to home programs or private schools.

Both sides agree that schools need improvement, the pro-voucher parents

feel they can't wait (to that I think they are not waiting, they have

already pulled their children out and are educating them in their

chosen method, mostly one on one therapy). The con-voucher parents feel

the schools can be improved with parent involvement, advocacy, and

holding the school accountable for their children's education and FAPE.

Both sides feel the other side is not being fair and is impeding their

cause. That is a normal human reaction. Both sides are passioante

about their cause.

I don't think either camp will give up their cause since they both feel

they are doing this for their children's future.

It's important to respect the feelings of both camps, to not attack

anyone personally for their choice and opinion. We are all adults

interested in what is best for our children. No one is opposing the

other out of malice.

I am personally interested in what will be fair for the majority of

children, if schools are suffering with cuts to special ed budgets,

like Plano ISD is, they have already cut out over 56 positons. I can

only draw the conclusion that with scholarships, they will lose more

money and cut more staff and services, and that can't be good for the

remaining students who will not be able to use the vouchers for either

economic reasons (parents can't have a home program, they have to work

to feed their family, they will not be able to supplement the voucher

amount to pay for a private school, and that is a very big group

(poor/middle class families). Other group is the kids with severe

behavior problems that no private school will accept unless it's

reidential, and that would cost so much money, no way a voucher would

cover that.

One more group will be the rural families who will have no private

schools available, and if a parent works, they can't homeschool,

therefore they will have no choice.

All of these groups make up a lot of children. Hence I have to say,

the majority of children will suffer in underfunded special ed programs

if vouchers pass, and only a minority will gain. That is not fair, or

equitable. Helping a few and hurting a majority does not make sense to

me. Banding together and fixing schools and education makes more sense

to me. Giving up on public education and turning our backs on it is

giving up our right to FAPE this will cause us to go backwards to a

time where kids with disabilities were not allowed to go to public

school. We've worked too hard and too long for our children's right to

attend schools with their peers, and to be included and treated equally

to give it up just like that.

Nagla

>

> I feel like we are going around in circles... unfortunately, when

> the only offered solution is more money the solution solving process

> has stopped.

>

> Moving forward-

> Liz

> tscillian@...

>

December 31, 2006

Anything you would like on the Texas Autism Advocacy website - e-mail me

privately and I will upload it there...

www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org

Sincerely,

asccnagla wrote:

,

It would be great if all the wonderful organizers start working on a

website for this and posting it on all autism lists. I am not a

computer literate person, so I don't know how to do this, do you know

anyone that can?

Nagla

> > > >

> > > > Nagla all of what you said about the state plan is

wonderful.

> > >

> > > > children for a long time, why is it all of the sudden time

to

> > > > advocate for the Autism state plan? Did the thought of a

> > > scholarship

> > > > program bring on a sense of urgency? Hmmm, wonder if the

same

> > > sense

> > > > of urgency would hold true across systems?

> > >

> > > I have been asking people to support this plan all along, it

> seems I

> > > have their ears now that we are discussing vouchers.

> > >

> > > >

> > > > I am all for change, moving forward, solving problems and

> chipping

> > > > away at the state plan but I am not waiting anymore nor am I

> > > sitting

> > > > around and waiting for whoever it is that is going to get

the

> job

> > > > done. Mason was diagnosed at 2 and he is now 8. In that 6

six

> > > years

> > >

> > > You have not waited, you are doing great things for your son

in

> your

> > > chosen method of educating him. Mason is getting exactly what

> you

> > > want him to get, lots of one on one therapy which is great.

> > >

> > > > what has been done on all the previous state plans?

> > >

> > > We got the autism supplement out of them (teacher to student

> ratio,

> > > EYS,structured daily schedule,parent training, in home

> > > training,transition services) which now have to be discussed

in

> every

> > > ARD at every school for every child diagnosed with autism.

> > >

> > > Again, I would

> > > > support the person, persons or groups who are going to go in

> like

> > > a

> > > > bulldozer to accomplish all of those wonderful ideas. But,

who

> > > and

> > > > how are they going to get the job done? Show me an actual

> time

> > > > frame and a drawn out plan of action so I can be assured

that

> we

> > > are

> > > > just not talking but rather we are actually acting. My child

> is

> > > > growing up quickly! I can't just throw out an real plan of

> action

> > > > like a scholarship program that will actually accomplish

> something

> > > > immediate for our families on the hopes that we will all get

> > > together

> > > > and work on the state plan.

> > >

> > > I can't answer this, but you have set a great example in how

to

> get

> > > things done, and I am following that example by asking people

to

> > > write letters, form voting blocks, innundate their legislators

> with

> > > these letters, show up in Austin etc...We can really use your

> > > expertise Liz, you seem to be a great organizer, lots better

than

> me.

> > >

> > > >>

> > > >

January 1, 2007

Yes, but he's busy working on the autism scholarships website ;-)

I'm busy battling the school right now, or I'd do it. I didn't mean to put you

on the spot - you seem to know a lot about the state plan and how to fix the

system, and I think if there was an organized effort with specific action plans,

you would have a lot of people behind you and maybe we could get this done. It's

a great idea, and I can't wait to get involved once someone who knows the system

better than me tells me how I can help.

Gianadda

Re: on the topic of vouchers and TEA laughing

,

It would be great if all the wonderful organizers start working on a

website for this and posting it on all autism lists. I am not a

computer literate person, so I don't know how to do this, do you know

anyone that can?

Nagla

> > > >

> > > > Nagla all of what you said about the state plan is

wonderful.

> > >

> > > > children for a long time, why is it all of the sudden time

to

> > > > advocate for the Autism state plan? Did the thought of a

> > > scholarship

> > > > program bring on a sense of urgency? Hmmm, wonder if the

same

> > > sense

> > > > of urgency would hold true across systems?

> > >

> > > I have been asking people to support this plan all along, it

> seems I

> > > have their ears now that we are discussing vouchers.

> > >

> > > >

> > > > I am all for change, moving forward, solving problems and

> chipping

> > > > away at the state plan but I am not waiting anymore nor am I

> > > sitting

> > > > around and waiting for whoever it is that is going to get

the

> job

> > > > done. Mason was diagnosed at 2 and he is now 8. In that 6

six

> > > years

> > >

> > > You have not waited, you are doing great things for your son

in

> your

> > > chosen method of educating him. Mason is getting exactly what

> you

> > > want him to get, lots of one on one therapy which is great.

> > >

> > > > what has been done on all the previous state plans?

> > >

> > > We got the autism supplement out of them (teacher to student

> ratio,

> > > EYS,structured daily schedule,parent training, in home

> > > training,transition services) which now have to be discussed

in

> every

> > > ARD at every school for every child diagnosed with autism.

> > >

> > > Again, I would

> > > > support the person, persons or groups who are going to go in

> like

> > > a

> > > > bulldozer to accomplish all of those wonderful ideas. But,

who

> > > and

> > > > how are they going to get the job done? Show me an actual

> time

> > > > frame and a drawn out plan of action so I can be assured

that

> we

> > > are

> > > > just not talking but rather we are actually acting. My child

> is

> > > > growing up quickly! I can't just throw out an real plan of

> action

> > > > like a scholarship program that will actually accomplish

> something

> > > > immediate for our families on the hopes that we will all get

> > > together

> > > > and work on the state plan.

> > >

> > > I can't answer this, but you have set a great example in how

to

> get

> > > things done, and I am following that example by asking people

to

> > > write letters, form voting blocks, innundate their legislators

> with

> > > these letters, show up in Austin etc...We can really use your

> > > expertise Liz, you seem to be a great organizer, lots better

than

> me.

> > >

> > > >>

> > > >

January 1, 2007

Nagla - I've asked this question before to this list, but I think it was

before you joined the group. What advice do you have for parents whose children

are talking suicide or are seriously regressing at the hands of the schools?

What about the single parents or 2-income families who cannot homeschool and are

trapped with no options but to watch their children suffer for seven hours a

day. You know as well as I do that these are not uncommon circumstances in the

world of autism. I just don't know what we would have done if I had not been

able to remove our son from the public schools immediately when he began to fall

apart. Expecting parents to battle these schools constantly and putting their

jobs, children and health at risk in the process is simply not practical, and

it's flat out wrong that anyone should have to do it. If I took a scholarship

and moved my kid to another public program in the next district, big deal. They

get a little extra money, DISD doesn't have to deal with my kid, the teachers

don't have to spend all their time in ARDs with me, and most importantly, that

money is going to educate my child instead of to some school attorney who is

laughing all the way to the bank with our tax dollars.

I didn't get any answers when I asked for this advice before, but maybe you

know something the others don't.